Lived Experience of Junior High School Teachers Teaching in the Senior High: A Phenomenology

Abstract

This study aimed at describing the lived experiences of the junior high school English teachers as they also teach in the senior high to answer the shortage of qualified teachers in the senior high school in the Philippines. It employed a descriptive phenomenological inquiry that utilized Husserlian methodology and Colaizzi`s method of data analysis. Purposive sampling was used to identify the 12 informants. The following are the themes that emerged: preparation matters; challenging setbacks; variety of techniques; enriched experiences; combat tactics; opportunities unearthed; and attitude to senior high school teaching. Results revealed a plethora of challenges among junior high school teachers’ teaching in the senior high school English. It was found out that most of them struggled with both content and pedagogy even though they are English majors and had very rich undergraduate preparation and quite a lengthy experience in teaching English in the junior high. Although, there were trainings and seminars conducted to prepare them it was not enough to master both content and pedagogy and manage a class of senior high school students, adding the fact that there was no instructional material support available. Therefore, mastery of the content and pedagogy is essential in the implementation of any curricular reforms. The English curriculum covers a very broad and wide content that it takes a very specific knowledge, skill, and exposure to teach a very specific course or content. Though the SHS English curriculum is still in its pilot implementation, there is a need to conduct an extensive retooling of these teachers in both content and pedagogy to effectively carry out the curriculum as well as the need to review the qualifications of teachers to teach in the SHS is suggested.